The Fresno Monsters are in the next phase of winning a championship. After winning the WSHL's Western Division, the team is headed to Texas to play in the prestigious Thorne Cup.

"We had a good weekend. We came out hard and scored goals and got the win. Our goalies played well from top to bottom and we're ready to go to El Paso next week," said Forward Justin Plate

The Monsters have come close before. It's kind of like when this puck almost hit us during the interview. Fresno was in the same position two years ago and came up short. This time around, General Manager and Head Coach Bryce Dale says this team is ready to go all the way.

"The thing about this year's team is they're prepared. Before we'd just be deer in the headlights because we haven't known what to expect. But these guys are calm, they're cool, they're collected. But they're also focused and determined. So we're pretty excited," said Dale.

The Monsters will practice here in Central California and then travel to Texas to play in a round robin format. They'll take on one team each day and the top four teams will advance. And since we're in March Madness I asked the guys where they stack up among the best six in this tournament.

"In terms of this tournament, we're the number two seed. But if we play to our potential, I really believe that we are the top team in this league. I don't just say that for the betterment of my program. It's absolutely untapped potential in each one of these young men. It's absolutely phenomenal and I'm excited to see it when we get there," added Dale.

"It's a little different because every games a new challenge. You don't know what to expect from your team every day, obviously. Rather than be used to your opponent each day. So it's not going to be any different. We had a showcase in Vegas earlier this year, so we should be used to it and ready to go," said Plate.